Hand-lamp switch



F. G. S'PIERS.

HAND LAMP SWITCH.V

Y APPLICATION FILED NOV-l1, 1919. 1,344,735.

Patented June 29, 1920.

llllll UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK G. sPIEEs, 0E NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, .AssiGNoE To WINCHESTEE EEPEATING ARMs COMPANY, 0E NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION 0F CONNECTICUT.

HAND-LAMP SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Junev 2K9, "1920 Application led November 11, 1919. Serial No. 337,350.

'Hand-Lamp Switches; and I do hereby declaro the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it Aappertains to make and use the same.

The present inver. 'Lion relates to portable hand lamps of the type wherein a battery and incandescent lamp are housed within a casing and are provided with contact means mounted on the casing by which the flow of current from the battery through the lamp may be controlled.

lt is an 'object of the present invention to provide a contact device wherein certain of the parts may be locked in inactive position when lighting of the lamp is to be avoided, as, for instance, when the-hand lamp is being shipped, or is to be carried in a tool kit.

In battery hand lamps of the general character to which my invention particularly relates, it is desirable that the contact device shall permit flashing of the light, and by this is meant such momentary or continuous burning of the light as would be useful in signaling, or. like manipulations, while the thumb of the operator presses continuously on a button or like actuating means. It is also desirable that the contact device have auxiliary mechanism by which the circuit may be held closed without the need for continuous pressure on thethumb piece.

ln the advantageous arrangement hereinafter described in detail, andillusti'ated in .the accompanying drawing, both of these ing description, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l is a sectional elevation of a hand lamp equipped with a contact device;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the 55 contact device;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the same on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Figs. 4 and 5 are similar sections with the movable elements in different positions; Figs. 6 and 7 are transverse sections on the lines 6 6 and 7-7, respectively, of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a plan View of the escutcheonA plate with the movable elements removed therefrom;

Fig. 9 is a detail of the swinging contact arm; Fig. l0 shows a cani plate used to assist inthe depression of the thumb piece; and

Fig. ll is a section through the sliding member used for overrunning the push buta ton and shows the integral tangs by'which certain of the parts are held together.

In the hand lamp of Fig. l, dry cells 1 75 and 2 are placed end to end with a carbon electrode of the topmost cell making electrical connection with the inner terminal of an incandescent lamp 3, and the naked zinc bottom of the lowermost cell making connection through a spring 4 with a metal cap 5, by whic the lower end of the casing or tube 6 is closed. This tube may be of fiber equipped with the usual threaded collars 7 and 8, and a ring 9 by which the lens 8.5 10 and relector 11 are clamped in position. The rim of reflector 11 is preferably spaced from collar 8 and ring 9 to prevent. inadvertent lighting of the lamp when the device is carried with metal tools. Electrically connected with the outer terminal of the lamp 3, as through refiectr 11, is a metal strip 12 leading to oneiterminal of the switchgap oi the contact device,and, similaily a flat metal strip is electrically 95 connected'with the bottom of dry cell 2, asy through cap and-spring 4, and has its upper end electrically connected .to the other side of the switch gap. y

The contact means whereby electrical connection is established between strips 12 and elements of the switch gap are inclosed and protected against accidental short-circuiting. This housing (Fig, 8) has longitudinal slots 16 to serve as guides for one of the movable elements, and' also has a circular opening 17 through which the thumb-piece or button 18 of a flexible contact arm 19 may protrude for manual actuation. This flexible strip is attached at its lower end to the housing as 4by means of a rivet 20 '(Fig. 3).'

Thumb-pressure on button 18 will flex stripy 19 into Contact with the opposing conductor of the gap which may be an integral part of strip 12, but is here shown as a rivet 21 connected therewith. 'This flexing of the strip by thumb pressure can be used for flashing the light or for causing a steady light so long as the operator holds the button in depressed position. But in order that strip 19 may not be flexed when lighting of the lamp is to be avoided, there is provided a locking means movable into position under the free or front end of arm 19 to positively prevent swinging movement of the strip when desired. This locking means may advan tageously consist of a cross-bar 22 having enlarged ends 23, this bar-'being mounted to slide along guideways cut in the side walls of housing l5, and at such an angle that as the bar moves toward the free end of finger 19, it approaches that linger and finally crowds it up against its own tension until the cross-bar reaches the ends of the slots. When in that position, the thumb-button is locked against inward movement and the cross-bar is yieldingly held in the end of the slot by the side pressure thereon of the flexible arm. 19. against inadvertent closing-of the Contact device.

But in addition to the foregoing, the embodiment shown in the drawing, comprises an auxiliary thumb-piece 2A having integral tangs 25 adapted to pass through slots 1G of housing 15 and there be clenched down around a cam plate 26 (Fig. 10), the edges of which are cut away at 27 to receive tangs 25 and insure locking engagement with the plate. Vhen this thumb-piece 24 is pushed forward l toward thinnbdiutton 1S, the notched front edge of plate 26 and the forward rounded edge 28 of thumb-piece 24 engage with the curved face of button 18 and crowd it down to circuit-closing position until, as shown in Fig. 4. the. sliding parts have overrun the button and hold it permanently in depressed pos1t1on. But

The lamp is thus protected` on backward movement of the sliding elements, the tliumb-button is released and because of the flexibility of arm 19, returns to its initial position, as shownin Fig. 3. Fig. 5 shows the sliding members in retracted position 'and the thumb-button lifted slightly because of its engagement with the locking bar 22.

A hand lamp constructed as above described will not light up when laid on a metal surface, because the metal fittings at the front end of the lamp are not in the circuit and all of the other exposed metal parts are of the same electrical polarity. lVhen the contact device has been locked by forward movement of bar 22, the hand lamp can be carried about in a tool kit or can be sent through the mails or otherwise roughly handled, without danger that inadvertent pressure on thumb-button 1S, or inadvertent forward movement of the sliding member 24, will cause lighting of the lamp when lighting is to be avoided.

I am aware that changes in details can be made in the contact device and in the hand lamp structure with which it is to be used without departing from the scope of the present invention.

I claim 1. A contact device for battery hand lamps, comprising in combination a contact arm, means for manually actuating said arm, and locking means movable to position under said arm when the lamp is not to be used.

A contact device for battery hand4 vcontact arm, a push button for manually actuating said arm, and locking means movable to position under the free end of said arm when the lamp is not to be used.

3. A contact device for battery hand lamps, comprising a contact arm having a thumb piece by which the arm may be flexed to flash the lamp, means for holding said arm in flexed position when a permanent light is desired, and locking means movable to position under the free end of said arm when lighting is to be avoided.

4. A contact device for battery hand lamps, comprising a contact arm having a thumb button by which-the arm may `be flexed to flash the lamp, a sliding member overrunning said button when a permanent light is desired, and means for locking said contact arm in open position when lighting ofthe lamp is to be avoided.

ln testimony whereof I allix my signature.

FREDERICK (l. SPIICRS. 

